TOPIC:

A couple of weeks ago I was called to have a look at some family medals. The medals were to various members of the family, but the medal group to Lieut. A D J Muirhead I found particularly interesting and in the intervening weeks since acquisition I have become ever more keen to find the history of this man. The group comprises :-
1) BSA Co. medal ( 1896 reverse ) to Lieut. ADJ Muirhead MRF. I cannot find Muirhead on any of the relevant medal rolls, but discussion with other collectors seems to indicate that none of the published rolls are complete. I attach a pic of the naming. The edge hasn't been skimmed . I know that some BSA Co. medals have "escaped "to the collector market , but this group has been with members of the family since they were last worn by Muirhead. The official history of the Kimberley Regiment tells us that in March 1896 , Col. Harris of Kimberley was telegraphed by the Acting administrator, Mr Duncan to raise, arm, equip and despatch a force of 500 mounted volunteers to Bulawayo to help put down the tribal rebellion. The force which was known as the Matabeleland Relief force included all sorts of local adventurers including quite a few members of local military units who were given leave from their units. By May most of this force ( numbering about 850) had reached Bulawayo and saw some hard action. By October 13th , peace was restored, but many of the volunteers had been discharged before this.
2) Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal ( Bechuanaland). Lieut. A D J Muirhead . Kimberley Rifles. Muirhead was listed as being a Lieutenant in the Regiment from 1895 to 31/12/1897, when he resigned. He is also listed as being one of the two officers from the Regiment who were part of the advance guard on the Bechuanaland campaign.
3) QSA ( Tugela Heights, ROL, Tvl, Laings Nek, CC, OFS) Lieut A DJ Muirhead 1/ Scottish Horse . The available medals rolls show that he was a Lieut. in the SA Light Horse but went AWOL and there is a large annotation "No Medal" on this roll. Pushing on, the Scottish Horse records show that he joined that unit on 1/ 7/ 1901 , having at some stage served a month in the CinC's Bodyguard. He was taken on with the rank of Sergeant but soon was promoted to Lieutenant ( 1/11/1901) . He was still at this rank when he resigned on 7/7/1902. I cannot determine who he was serving with for the Laings Nek and OFS bars.
4) KSA with usual bars but renamed with same details as on the QSA. I dont know whether he was ever awarded a KSA although he served the qualifying time. With his rather checkered record, maybe the authorities never awarded it, but like many others he felt that he was entitled.
5) 1897 Jubilee named to Lieut. A D J Muirhead . KR.
I was given a snapshot of Muirhead with a nurse. He was wearing a dressing gown on which were pinned the above medals.
A search of the Cape Town Archives revealed that Muirhead was arrested on 28th March 1899 and held at the Cape Town Gaol awaiting trial on 15th April that year on a charge of theft. More to be revealed, I hope.
The Colonials were a different breed !
If anyone can add anything to this evolving biography , I should be very grateful .
Thanks
Mike

I knew a Peter Muirhead who, if memory serves, once told me that his father was the OC of the ILH/Kimberley Regiment at some point. I didn't pursue the matter (or the medals) but will see if I can find his contact details.

Given your man's antecedents they could well be consanguineous.

I also note that at the age of 15 (1881 census) he was an Iron Merchant's Clerk resident at 6 Cathcart Hill, Islington, London. His father David was a Civil and Mining Engineer who had spent some time in China where two of his children were born

Regards

Rory

Certainly, on the face of it, a lovely and very pleasing group, I would think he was unlikely to have been entitled to the KSA, I had a very brief look at WO77 and interestingly, cannot find his name within the officer complement of the Matabeleland Relief Force.
Notwithstanding, I think that group has a good deal of potential.

mike rowan wrote: A couple of weeks ago I was called to have a look at some family medals. The medals were to various members of the family, but the medal group to Lieut. A D J Muirhead I found particularly interesting and in the intervening weeks since acquisition I have become ever more keen to find the history of this man. The group comprises :-
1) BSA Co. medal ( 1896 reverse ) to Lieut. ADJ Muirhead MRF. I cannot find Muirhead on any of the relevant medal rolls, but discussion with other collectors seems to indicate that none of the published rolls are complete. I attach a pic of the naming. The edge hasn't been skimmed . I know that some BSA Co. medals have "escaped "to the collector market , but this group has been with members of the family since they were last worn by Muirhead. The official history of the Kimberley Regiment tells us that in March 1896 , Col. Harris of Kimberley was telegraphed by the Acting administrator, Mr Duncan to raise, arm, equip and despatch a force of 500 mounted volunteers to Bulawayo to help put down the tribal rebellion. The force which was known as the Matabeleland Relief force included all sorts of local adventurers including quite a few members of local military units who were given leave from their units. By May most of this force ( numbering about 850) had reached Bulawayo and saw some hard action. By October 13th , peace was restored, but many of the volunteers had been discharged before this.
2) Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal ( Bechuanaland). Lieut. A D J Muirhead . Kimberley Rifles. Muirhead was listed as being a Lieutenant in the Regiment from 1895 to 31/12/1897, when he resigned. He is also listed as being one of the two officers from the Regiment who were part of the advance guard on the Bechuanaland campaign.
3) QSA ( Tugela Heights, ROL, Tvl, Laings Nek, CC, OFS) Lieut A DJ Muirhead 1/ Scottish Horse . The available medals rolls show that he was a Lieut. in the SA Light Horse but went AWOL and there is a large annotation "No Medal" on this roll. Pushing on, the Scottish Horse records show that he joined that unit on 1/ 7/ 1901 , having at some stage served a month in the CinC's Bodyguard. He was taken on with the rank of Sergeant but soon was promoted to Lieutenant ( 1/11/1901) . He was still at this rank when he resigned on 7/7/1902. I cannot determine who he was serving with for the Laings Nek and OFS bars.
4) KSA with usual bars but renamed with same details as on the QSA. I dont know whether he was ever awarded a KSA although he served the qualifying time. With his rather checkered record, maybe the authorities never awarded it, but like many others he felt that he was entitled.
5) 1897 Jubilee named to Lieut. A D J Muirhead . KR.
I was given a snapshot of Muirhead with a nurse. He was wearing a dressing gown on which were pinned the above medals.
A search of the Cape Town Archives revealed that Muirhead was arrested on 28th March 1899 and held at the Cape Town Gaol awaiting trial on 15th April that year on a charge of theft. More to be revealed, I hope.
The Colonials were a different breed !
If anyone can add anything to this evolving biography , I should be very grateful .
Thanks
Mike